B-movie classic The Blob is getting another remake. Why? I couldn’t tell you, but here we are. Goldcrest Films is moving forward with the project and the studio has set The Expendables 2 helmer Simon West to direct.
The 1958 cult classic, directed by Irvin Yeaworth, starred a young Steve McQueen as a teenager whose small Pennsylvania hometown is unexpectedly threatened when a gelatinous alien life-form emerges from a meteor and begins to consume the townfolk, growing larger in size with every new victim and oozing forward with no indication of stopping.
The Blob, though received with mixed reviews at the time of its release, is now held up as a prime example of B-movie entertainment. It birthed a sequel, too, in the form of Larry Hagman’s 1972 flick Beware! The Blob, and was previously remade in 1988 by Chuck Russell.
Back when this new version was announced, West said the following about his vision for the film:
“With modern CGI we can now fully realize the potential of The Blob. The world I create will be totally believable, immersive and emotionally satisfying. It’s a thrill to introduce an enduring icon to a wider audience and a whole new era of fans.”
In a separate interview, the director teased a take on the story that’s more sci-fi, with the titular creature being far more sophisticated than what we saw in previous outings.
It’s definitely going to be on a much bigger canvas than the originals, which were much more small, niche genre horror movies. My version of The Blob’s going to be more sci-fi.
The blob itself will be more sophisticated, more along the lines of Alien and Predator and things like that – much more science-based, the way Jurassic Park made you believe you could bring back dinosaurs with a bit of DNA from a mosquito. This will be much more explained on where the blob comes from and how it works. It’ll be a much more sophisticated creature – because it is a monster movie rather than a horror in that sense.
In terms of casting, we’ve already heard that Samuel L. Jackson has clinched a role and today, Bloody Disgusting brings word that Halle Berry may be on board, too. However, what’s interesting to note is that Swengroup, one of the distributors on the project, doesn’t mention Jackson in their listing of the film, only the aforementioned actress. Given that the Pulp Fiction star was first announced for the remake two years ago, it’s entirely possible that he’s not involved anymore, but at this point, we can’t say for sure.
Until we hear more, tell us, are you happy to see that they’re remaking The Blob? Or would you rather them leave this one on the shelf? Sound off in the usual place with your thoughts!
